Doling out blame for state budget

I don't know who asked Harold Meyerson to weigh in on our budget problems, but I take exception to his inference that it is somehow "extremist" to balance a budget entirely by spending cuts.

If my car breaks down and I'm saddled with a hefty repair bill, do I go to my employer and ask for a raise? No, I find the money somewhere, even if it means making some painful choices. Why should our state government be any different?

No one likes to cut services, but raising taxes in a recession is not popular either, as voters pretty much indicated by defeating the recent propositions.

On the other hand, if the results of the cuts are as dire as Meyerson predicts, then I'm sure the electorate will vote for new taxes to restore these services next year.

Greg Daniels

Canyon Country

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Thank you, Harold Meyerson, for your Op-Ed article. The state needs it, but the Republican Party needs it as well before its members' shriveled hearts dry up and blow away.

Vicki Fleming

Manhattan Beach

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The article is illuminating as to some of the major problems with our state government.

It is unbelievable that the Democrats can elect enough people to create huge majorities in both houses of the Legislature, but they can't pass the laws they want when they want them.

It is time that they call the Republicans' bluff. Indeed, Mr. Meyerson, whatever happened to the primary edict of democracy: the majority rules? Not in California.

Tom Reinberger

Glendora

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If the facts put forward by Meyerson in his Op-Ed article are in any way accurate, then something had better happen before this disaster of a budget wrecks our once-glorious state.

Why haven't we heard from Jerry Brown or Gavin Newsom throughout this penurious wrangling? Whatever happened to Tom Hayden? And aren't there some younger leaders among the Democrats? Perhaps a grass-roots movement would be equally effective?

New taxes must be devised. After all, the wealthy in California seem to be getting wealthier, despite the deepening recession.

Donald W. Spencer

La Crescenta

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Meyerson apparently hasn't said the Pledge of Allegiance in a while.

We pledge to the flag and to the republic for which it stands. This is precisely because the founding fathers did not want majorities to crush the rights of minorities.

Our state Constitution is reflecting our country's Constitution in assuring that minorities have a voice.

Marianne Zippi

Newport Beach

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It is no surprise that Meyerson finds that all of California's fiscal problems are the fault of a few Republicans and greedy, wealthy Californians.

Published opinions that contain the kind of relentless and narrow-minded political hyperbole Meyerson uses have little value in solving a problem.

Until moderate Californians unite and put an end to this self-destructive madness, we will rightly continue to be viewed as a state out of control.